


Who Knew Love Could Be So Painful?

by sai_ouma_trash



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hope's Peak Academy (Dangan Ronpa), Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Fluff and Angst, Hanahaki Disease, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Maybe a part two, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi-centric, Original Character(s), Pining, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Self-Insert, honestly I just wanted some Hoshi/Kokichi platonic bromance, if people are interested in the Hoshi/Chiaki side of things, yes this is a self-insert oc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:15:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25252219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sai_ouma_trash/pseuds/sai_ouma_trash
Summary: Kokichi and Hoshi both have Hanahaki Disease.Kokichi and Hoshi both believe that their love is unrequited.Hoshi isn't buying it, and knows that she needs to tell Shuichi before it's too late.
Relationships: Nanami Chiaki/Original Female Character(s), Oma Kokichi & Original Character(s), Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi, Saihara Shuichi & Original Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 48





	Who Knew Love Could Be So Painful?

“T-Trash—” Kokichi barely sputtered out, Hoshi reaching over and grabbing the can just in time as he hurled over, retching the bloody flowers into the can, grimacing as he listened to the grotesque _squelch_ . Hoshi rubbed his back, reaching over to grab a bottle of water and waiting to hand it to him as he pulled away, wiping at his lip. “ _Fuck_.” He cursed, voice ragged. “T-Thanks…”

“Of course.” Hoshi offered a sad smile, which Kokichi just wheezed and fell back onto the pillows. She didn’t remember when exactly they knew each others secret, but it wasn’t difficult when they knew the symptoms like the back of their hand. Since then, they both spent a lot of time together, crying over the pain that came with the beautiful smiles of their unrequited crushes. 

“Taro told me you were heading out tomorrow?” Kokichi only offered a quiet “mm,” not bothering to sit up. Hoshi sighed, the action burning her throat. “Just be careful, alright? Call me if anything happens and I’ll be there faster than you can down a bottle of Panta.” At that, Kokichi actually sat up some, something of an amused smirk on his face.

“Oh~?” He asked, voice still raspy. “Is that a promise or a challenge? I wonder if I should test that theory, then~” Hoshi rolled her eyes, lightly nudging his arm as she laid down too. They sat in silence, though not the uncomfortable kind. It felt nice just to have someone’s presence there throughout all the excruciating pain. All the while, though, Hoshi was mulling over a plan in her head. There was no backing out of this—she was committed.

She knew that she would be betraying his trust, and that he most likely would never want to speak to her again, but anything was better than watching him slowly die, when there was the aching feeling in the back of her mind that told her that his love wasn’t as unrequited as he thought. That was why, as soon as she knew Rantaro and Kokichi were off campus, she began racing down the hallways looking for Shuichi, ignoring how her lungs burned with every breath.

“Sh... _Shuichi!_ ” She cried out, watching as he walked down the hallway with Kaito and Maki. All three of them turned around with visible concern.

“Yo, Hoshi! You okay? You look—”

“Awful.” Maki interrupted Kaito, raising an eyebrow. Hoshi took longer than she would have liked to catch her breath, resting her hands on her hips as she forced a smile.

“‘m f-fine.” She exhaled, taking one more deep breath, before her expression turned serious. “You guys aren’t doing anything important, right?” Shuichi cocked his head to the side with curiosity as he shook his head slowly, and Hoshi didn’t wait for any other reply to latch onto his arm and begin dragging him away.

“H-Hey—! W-Wait, where are we going?!” Shuichi exclaimed, utterly confused.

“I’m really sorry to interrupt, but I promise this is important. See you.” Kaito was left dumbfounded, while Maki looked disinterested.

“Hoshi, are you alright?” Hoshi almost laughed at the amount of concern in Shuichi’s voice, and the guilt hit her like a freight train.

“I will be after this gets settled.” Shuichi obviously didn’t get any information from that response, but decided that he trusted Hoshi enough that whatever she was dragging him away to talk to about, it most certainly had to be important. Eventually, he noticed that Hoshi had dragged him out to the fields near the courtyard, out in the open. Was she worried about someone eavesdropping? She abruptly stopped, nearly causing Shuichi to bump into her if she hadn’t whirled around and grabbed him by the shoulders.

“Shuichi, this isn’t going to make sense, and I know you’re going to get flustered, but I _promise_ , I need to know this.” She stared him dead in the eye, and for a moment he wished he had his hat. “What do you feel about Kokichi?” Well, she had certainly hit the “going to get flustered” nail right on the head.

“I-I’m sorry?”

“Shuichi, this is _important_ . This is literally the only time I have to do this, _please_.” Shuichi’s gut churned at hearing Hoshi plead. Whatever was happening, it must be serious. Her question was about Kokichi, so… was he hurt? Did something happen to him?

“W-Wait, is Kokichi in danger? Did he get hurt or something—” Hoshi interrupted him again.

“Do you love him? Do you love Kokichi?” Shuichi looked to the side, thinking for a moment before speaking quietly.

“I… I-I think I do..”

“That’s not an answer, Shuichi. I need a yes or no.”

“Y-Yes! Yes, I love him!” Hoshi let go of his shoulders and looked down, seeming to be relieved at his response.

“Okay… thank you, I’m sorry about grabbing you like that.” Shuichi carefully reached out and grasped her upper arm, worry in his expression.

“Is something wrong? You seem really stressed about whatever it is.” Hoshi opened her mouth, before closing it and thinking.

“...Hey, you know that upperclassman from Class 77? Chiaki Nanami?” Shuichi raised an eyebrow, growing even more confused. Was this related to whatever was going on with Kokichi..?

“Of course, most of the times I’ve talked to her are because you invited her to hang out.” Hoshi nodded, closing her eyes. It was only now that Shuichi noticed how… how _tired_ she looked.

“You know about Hanahaki Disease, right?” She asked, much quieter, like it hurt her throat to speak. Shuichi nodded—he had gotten a few cases related to Hanahaki before. He knew it was a brutal thing, and didn’t think that anyone deserved something like that.

“She’s really pretty, isn’t she? Chiaki…”

“Huh.” Shuichi asked, though it came out more as just a confused statement. Now he _really_ had no idea where Hoshi was going with this.

“She has really beautiful eyes, and a cute nose that I just want to kiss. Soft pinkish hair that I want to run my fingers through. That adorable cat backpack she always carries, the way she mumbles when she gets tired, and that sparkle of excitement in her eyes when someone plays a game with her. The way that—” Before Shuichi could register what was happening, he grabbed onto her arms as Hoshi doubled over, an awful wet sound caught in her throat as she coughed and—

“Oh my _god_ , H-Hoshi..!” He stared at the clump of blood-soaked petals on the ground. That had just come from Hoshi’s throat. Hoshi had just coughed that out of her lungs. His _friend_ had just hacked up blood and petals of a potentially deadly disease. Hoshi, on the other hand, although knowing what was coming—obviously, as she had caused it on purpose—hadn’t expected it to hit so hard, and her throat felt the worst it had for a while. Shuichi began panicking, mind racing as he helped her stand up straight, looking around as if that would help him.

“O-Okay, uhm— H-Here, w-we need to get you to Mikan—!” Before Shuichi could run off, Hoshi harshly grabbed onto his arm.

“ _Shuichi_ —” She rasped out, shaking. She laughed, the action making her raw throat feel like it was on fire. She looked up, tears in her eyes as she smiled sadly, wiping the blood off of her lip. “I love her, Shuichi. B-But that’s not what’s important right now.” Shuichi wanted to shout that ‘No, that’s wrong! How can a dear friend telling me out of the blue that they’re dying _not_ be important?!’ But instead, he waited, and listened. Hoshi looked as if all the life had just been drained from out of her.

“Kokichi’s going through this, Shuichi. He thinks that there’s no way you would love him.” Shuichi blinked once, twice, three times, and the weight of those words came crashing on top of him as he felt his throat go dry. “Kokichi is in love with you. You need to show him that you love him too before he’s already gone. P-Please…”

“I- I…” Shuichi stammered, unsure of how to process all of this. His heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest. “Wh-Where?” He asked, wheezily.

“He’s out with—” A cough. “R-Rantaro… I-I told him to call me as soon as he gets back—” They were interrupted as Hoshi’s phone began ringing, and she quickly pulled it out, smiling at seeing Rantaro’s contact. Shuichi’s adrenaline began pumping as Hoshi shoved a small device into his pocket, pushing him towards the school.

“Go. G-Go get him, Shuichi. H-He’ll probably be by the dorms—away from e-everyone else at lunch. If he doesn’t believe you, then—” Hoshi’s vision went out, and she nearly lost her balance. “S-Sorry, I-I’ve been recording what happened. J-Just play it for him, and h-he’ll have no choice but to accept it.”

“W-Wait! But… h-how do I tell him that I know—?” Hoshi smiled sadly, shoving Shuichi again.

“Just be honest. T-Tell him it was me.” She sighed, though seemed oddly content. “I’ve already betrayed his trust by doing this, so p-please… just be honest with him. He’ll be angry at me, n-not you.” She smiled flicking at the piece of hair standing up on top of his head. “Go get ‘im, detective. Don’t let him slip through your fingers.” Shuichi felt himself nodding, shouting a quick ‘T-Thank you!’ over his shoulder before his feet pounded against the pavement, and his blood pumped through his veins. He didn’t realize he was running up the stairs to the dorm until he nearly slipped and fell down them, taking a moment to breathe. He heard what sounded like annoyed knocking, and hurried the rest of the way to see an aggravated Kokichi knocking on Hoshi’s door.

“Hey! Let me in, would you? Why’s the damn door blocked? I-Is this because you knew I’d lockpick into your room? Rude!” He cleared his throat, which was obviously agitated.

“K—Kokichi!” Shuichi heaved out, out of breath as he ran the rest of the way over to him. Kokichi’s expression morphed from surprised, to scared, to pain, and back to a grin in the span of a second.

“Heyyyy, S-Shumai! What’s my favorite detective need with lil ol’ me?” Shuichi grabbed his shoulders, heaving as he tried taking in air. Kokichi’s visible shock stayed for much longer this time, before morphing into concern. “Hey, are you okay-?”

“K-Kokichi… I know you have Hanahaki.” His eyes widened for a split second, and Shuichi swore he saw anger flash through them, before his mask was already back in place.

“Nishishi… Who told you that lie, silly? Supreme Leaders like me don’t have time for love—”

“Please, Kokichi! Please… please don’t lie right now!” Shuichi’s voice was desperate, and he didn’t realize he was crying until he felt the tears falling down his face, which was met with a very confused and conflicted Kokichi.

“I… I love you! And that’s not a lie, I swear!” Kokichi began to back away, and Shuichi knew he was going to try and deflect. So, in response, he let go of his shoulders and instead grabbed both of his hands, lacing their fingers and squeezing tightly, making sure to look him in the eyes so he knew it was the truth.

“I love your eyes, a-and the way that your hair is curly from you playing with it, and- and your laugh that just lights up the room, the way that you tease people while still showing in your own ‘Kokichi’ way that you care about them, t-the way that you smile when you stop t-to pet a cat that wandered onto campus, h-how intelligent and observant you are, how you aren’t afraid to lay the cold hard truth on people, b-but also tell them white lies out of kindness.

“I-I love the way you light up when you get something you really like, l-like that water gun I bought you. I love the endearing way y-you have such a sweet tooth it makes me sick just looking at you eat it, yet I can’t help but laugh when you get some of it on your nose and then try to lick it off with your tongue. H-How you can dish out compliments all day, but your face turns a cute red when someone compliments _you_ in return...

“You’re like a puzzle that I can’t completely solve, a-and I just find myself chasing after you and thinking about you time and time again. I care about you, I- I really do! I love everything about you—I love _you_ , s-so please…” Shuichi let go of his hands, wrapping his arms around him as his body wracked with sobs. “ _Please_ , d-don’t go dying on me, Kokichi…” He almost backed away when Kokichi’s body stayed tense, worried he had overwhelmed him, until he heard a quiet choking sound, and Kokichi’s shaky arms wrapped around Shuichi before he began sobbing into his shoulder. Shuichi held him closer, scared that if he loosened his grip for even a second, Kokichi would slip through his fingers like a grain of sand.

“Sh- _Shu_ —” His voice was hoarse, and it was there and then Shuichi promised he would never let Kokichi get hurt like that ever again. Shuichi pulled away briefly, hands moving up to cup Kokichi’s face and wipe away the tears falling from his eyes as he pressed their foreheads together. Kokichi’s hands laid on top of Shuichi’s, and the poor boy’s breathing sounded so difficult Shuichi wished he could just hold him in his arms forever and protect him from getting hurt ever again. When Kokichi abruptly pushed him away, Shuichi was startled for a moment, before immediately growing concerned.

“K-Kokichi—?” The other boy couldn’t respond as he held a hand to his mouth, chest seeming like it was trying to get rid of something vile. That was a pretty close estimate, as Kokichi’s knees immediately buckled (and he almost would have fallen to the floor if Shuichi hadn’t grabbed him and helped ease him down) and after a moment of choking and inability to breathe, a final, bloody root of a flower was hacked out of his lungs, plopping onto the floor with a wet smack. Kokichi took a deep breath, shaking almost violently. He didn’t remember the last time he was able to _breathe_ so well. Out of his tired daze, he recognized Shuichi’s warm arms around him, and weakly grabbed onto him.

“Sh...Shu…”

“I’m here… I’m here, Kokichi. I-It’s okay, now.”

“Shuichi… loves me, too.. S-Shumai loves _me_ …” 

“I do. I love you so much, Kokichi. I love you.” A soft kiss was pressed to the crown of his head, and with Shuichi whispering soft nothings in his ear, Kokichi felt just about ready to fall asleep.

And that’s exactly what he did.

When he woke up again, he noticed immediately that it wasn’t his room. Reason one: It didn’t have the awful strong smell of blood and flowers in the air. Reason two: It was _way_ too neat to be his room. Reason three: It smelled just like Shuichi. With a soft exhale, Kokichi rolled onto his side, pulling a lump of blankets along with him as he cuddled up to them. He heard what sounded like worried footsteps quickly approach his side, and felt his hair being brushed away from his face.

“Hey.. Everything’s okay…” Kokichi could recognize that voice anywhere, and he forced his eyes open just to see— ah, those beautiful golden eyes with the long eyelashes that he adored so much.

“Mmh… Shu…” Shuichi’s hand caressed his cheek, and Kokichi noticed the small relieved smile on his face.

“Hey… Go back to sleep, okay? You deserve the rest.” Kokichi, far too tired and comfortable to argue, mumbled as he closed his eyes again.

“Mmkay… anything for Shu...”

The next time he opens his eyes, he sits up in bed, and notices Shuichi, who’s sitting next to him, immediately put his book to the side and reach out to grab his hand, softly squeezing it.

“Hey, are you feeling okay? Need some water?” Kokichi nods groggily, still trying to get used to the unusual feeling of breathing _properly_. Shuichi is back in a split second, and carefully hands him the glass.

“Thanks…” He whispers, not wanting to harm his throat any further. Shuichi hums quietly, running a thumb over Kokichi’s knuckles.

“We’re in my room right now. Mikan came and checked your throat and lungs, a-and she said that everything should heal up. She gave me some medicine which should help a little.” Shuichi smiled shyly, softly sighing. “Just try not to yell a lot or strain yourself, okay?”

“Mh… wasn’t planning on it.” Kokichi murmured, handling the glass back to Shuichi who set it down on the desk. They both sat quietly for a bit, one hand intertwined.

“So.. I know how we both feel, b-but.. Ah…” Shuichi had to take a deep breath, and stop himself from adverting eye contact with Kokichi. “I-I guess neither of us really _asked_ , so,” Shuichi squeezes his hand, looking into his eyes with the most heartfelt expression anyone has ever given him, and Kokichi almost feels like he can’t breathe again. “Would you… like to be my boyfriend?” Kokichi snorts, pulling Shuichi closer to him and nuzzling into the crook of his neck.

“Would I ‘like’ to? Non, non, beloved. I would _love_ to.” He pulls back to poke Shuichi in the nose, which leaves him satisfied with the confused yelp he hears. “But, only if you’ll be _my_ boyfriend.” Shuichi laughs, poking Kokichi’s nose in return.

“Of course I will.” Kokichi leaned back, resting against the pillows propped up against the headboard of Shuichi’s bed. He squeezed Shuichi’s hand in his own with a content sigh.

“Mmh… I’m glad.”

“...Kokichi?”

“Yes, my beloved?” He looked over to see a worried and conflicted expression on Shuichi’s face.

“Please tell me whenever you’re hurting.. I want to be there for you. You aren’t alone.” Kokichi gave a reassuring smile, bringing their intertwined hands to his lips and kissing Shuichi’s knuckles.

“I know.” _‘Not anymore. Now, I have you.’_

And they were both okay with that.

**Author's Note:**

> Uhh honestly I was really scared to post this and just decided "fuck it" cuz I'm bored. If anyone is interested in seeing a second chapter, let me know !! I have something in mind but I don't think many people like OC/Canon so T~T
> 
> Also, I apologize- Shuichi (and Kokichi) are probably a bit OOC and I had no idea how to end this. Still, Saiou makes me happy so it's okay


End file.
